Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) is a Baptist Christian

Cooperative Baptist
association of churches in the United States. It is affiliated with the
Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Decatur, Georgia. Fellowship

History
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has its origins in a meeting in Classification Mainline
Atlanta in 1990 of a group of moderate churches of the Southern Protestant
Baptist Convention disagreeing about the control of the direction
Theology Baptist
of the convention by fundamentalists, as well as the opposition to
the ordination of women.[1][2] It was officially founded in 1991.[3] Polity Congregationalist
Associations Baptist World
As of 1996, the association had 1,400 churches and was still
Alliance
affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.[4] In 1998, it
began ordaining chaplains.[5] In 2002, it officially left the Southern Region United States
Baptist Convention and became a member of the Baptist World Headquarters Decatur, Georgia
Alliance.[6] According to a census published by the association in Origin 1991
2023, it claimed 1,800 churches and 750,000 members.[7] Since Atlanta
the first quarter of the 21st century, the Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship has officially partnered with the National Baptist Separated from Southern Baptist
Convention of America,[8] similar to the American Baptist Convention
Churches USA and Progressive National Baptists fellowship Congregations 1,800
agreement of 1970.[9] Members 750,000
Seminaries Baptist Seminary
Organization of Kentucky
Official website cbf.net (https://cb
There are CBF-affiliated churches in 43 out of the 50 states.[10]
f.net/)
Alongside the national CBF, there are 19 state and regional
organizations that are affiliated with CBF and help provide
churches with resources at a more local level[11][12] It has 1
affiliated theological institute, the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky in
Lexington, Kentucky.[13]

Beliefs
The association has a Baptist confession of faith.[14] Map of 18/19 of the Regional and
State organizations affiliated with the
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, like the Southern Baptist
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Convention from which it split, does not enforce particular beliefs
upon congregations, as is congruent with traditional Baptist
theology. The fellowship's "understanding of Baptist faith and practice is expressed by [their] emphasis on
freedom in biblical interpretation and congregational governance, the participation of women and men in all
aspects of church leadership and Christian ministry, and religious liberty for all people."[14] The CBF also
ascribes to the "Four Fragile Freedoms" as developed in The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by
Walter Shurden. CBF interprets these freedoms as:

Soul Freedom: We believe in the priesthood of all believers and affirm the freedom and
responsibility of every person to relate directly to God without the imposition of creed or the
control of clergy or government.
Bible Freedom: We believe in the authority of Scripture. We believe the Bible, under the
Lordship of Christ, is central to the life of the individual and the church. We affirm the
freedom and right of every Christian to interpret and apply scripture under the leadership of
the Holy Spirit.
Church Freedom: We believe in the autonomy of every local church. We believe Baptist
churches are free, under the Lordship of Christ, to determine their membership and
leadership, to order their worship and work, to ordain whomever they perceive as gifted for
ministry, and to participate as they deem appropriate in the larger body of Christ.
Religious Freedom: We believe in the freedom of religion, freedom for religion, and
freedom from religion. We support the separation of church and state.[14]

Affirmation of women in ministry was one of the founding principles of the Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship.[15] Most CBF members agree that both men and women may be ordained as ministers or
deacons and serve as pastors of churches.[16]

On social issues, the CBF does not issue position statements. CBF members agree that as it is a fellowship
of autonomous churches, issuing statements would be beyond its purpose. It does have an organizational
policy on homosexual behaviour.[17] However, CBF policies are not binding on individual congregations
which make their own decisions regarding any issue; neither can a congregation be excluded from the CBF
for disagreeing with core values or policies. In 2016, the CBF co-sponsored a conference on sexuality and
initiated the "'Illumination Project' approved by the Governing Board (formerly the Coordinating Council)
to develop models for the Fellowship community to air differences not only about the hiring ban but also
other hot-button issues dividing churches, denominations and society". In 2018, the Affirming Network for
full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation was founded. [18]

Controversies
In 2018, the Kentucky Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention) proceeded to excommunications
of churches having a dual affiliation with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, due to a relaxation allowing
hiring of non-executive LGBT staff.[19]

References
1. William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021,
p. 169
2. Richard Leigh Walker, Southern Baptists: Moderates Form Alternative Fellowship (https://ww
w.christianitytoday.com/ct/1991/june-24/southern-baptists-moderates-form-alternative-fellow
ship.html), Christianity today, USA, June 24, 1991
3. Greg Garrison, Cooperative Baptists, ‘different kind of Baptist,’ meet at BJCC (https://www.al.
com/news/2019/06/cooperative-baptists-different-kind-of-baptist-meet-at-bjcc.html), AL,
USA, June 22, 2019
4. Randy Frame, Cooperative Baptists Reject Formal Break with SBC (https://www.christianityt
oday.com/ct/1996/august12/6t9059.html), Christianity today, USA, August 12, 1996
 5. Aaron Weaver, At 25, CBF still building something new (https://baptistnews.com/article/at-25
-cbf-still-building-something-new/#.YJSNZGZKjL_), Baptist news, USA, June 23, 2016
6. Deborah G Leste, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joins World Alliance (https://www.goupstat
e.com/story/news/2003/07/19/cooperative-baptist-fellowship-joins-world-alliance/29676170
007/), Goupstate, USA, July 19, 2003
7. Baptist World Alliance, Members (https://www.baptistworld.org/member-unions/), Baptist
world, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023
8. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship – NBCA" (https://nbcainc.com/partners/cooperative-baptist-
fellowship/). Retrieved 2023-04-30. "This partnership affords NBCA to engage in multi-
racial experiences of worship, fellowship, disaster relief, educational advancement and
healthy dialogue that brings about oneness in the body of Christ. Local member NBCA and
CBF churches develop stronger ties for the work they embark upon together to the Glory of
God."
9. "PNBC 1970 Minutes" (http://media2.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/aaa/pnbc/pnbc_1970.pd
f) (PDF). Southern Baptist Historical Library & Archives. 1970. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
10. "Churches – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" (https://cbf.net/churches). Retrieved
2021-06-13.
11. "States and Regions – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" (https://cbf.net/states-and-regions).
Retrieved 2021-06-13.
12. "State/Regional Organizations - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" (https://www.cbfevents.org/
identity/state-regional-organizations/). www.cbfevents.org. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
13. Bob Allen, Kentucky seminary celebrates commencement, accreditation (https://baptistnews.
com/article/kentucky-seminary-celebrates-commencement-accreditation/), baptistnews.com,
USA, August 11, 2015
14. "Who We Are" (https://cbf.net/who-we-are). Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Retrieved
2021-06-13.
15. 2 Jan 2010 About Us (http://www.thefellowship.info/About-Us/FAQ), CBF Archived (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20101130075936/http://thefellowship.info/About-Us/FAQ) 2010-11-30 at
the Wayback Machine
16. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Southern Baptist Convention Differences: A
Conversation with CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal" (https://web.archive.org/web/200807250
92811/http://www.thefellowship.info/Files/About-Us/CBF_SBC_differences.aspx).
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Archived from the original (http://www.thefellowship.info/File
s/About-Us/CBF_SBC_differences.aspx) on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
17. Bob Allen, Analysis: A timeline of CBF’s LGBTQ debate (https://baptistnews.com/article/anal
ysis-a-timeline-of-cbfs-lgbtq-debate/), baptistnews.com, USA, July 7, 2016
18. Bojangles Blanchard, Breakfast at CBF Launches Network for LGBTQ Inclusion (https://goo
dfaithmedia.org/breakfast-at-cbf-launches-network-for-lgbtq-inclusion-cms-24945/),
goodfaithmedia.org, USA, June 21, 2018
19. Bob Allen, Kentucky Baptist Convention formally excludes churches dually aligned with
CBF (https://baptistnews.com/article/kentucky-baptist-convention-formally-excludes-churche
s-dually-aligned-with-cbf/), baptistnews.com, USA, November 14, 2018

External links
Official website (http://www.cbf.net)

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